Re: Runtime Error after updating Windows 98

The dial up connection comes up because you have something in your startup group that connects to the internet. It may be a program that you've set to "start when windows starts" or it may be spyware.

To get rid of spyware, try Spybot Search & Destroy & Ad-Aware. You can find them by searching on Google. I keep misplacing the URLs.

To see what's starting in your startup list, download & run StartUp List & post the results here. We can then see what's causing the dial-up-connection to run at startup. If you're familiar with the programs you have, you can simply go to Start/Run & type
msconfig
& press <enter>. Go to the startup tab & see what runs when you boot up.
Cheers,

Re: Runtime Error after updating Windows 98

The following links will take you to the necessary sites to download the indicated anti "Adware, Spyware, Hijack" programs.

To check your computer for malware, and remove it if found, download AdawareandSpybot Search & Destroy. The first time you run each of these, update the reference/database files before you run a scan. Update and use both regularly, once a week (or more often) is good.

Re: Runtime Error after updating Windows 98

First of all, thanks to Doc Watson...the solution in the Norton AV Knowledge base worked.

Still being confronted with the dialup connection dialog box. Ran msconfig but found nothing new or suspicious in startup list. Downloaded "StartUp List" as Phil R. suggested, but couldn't run it...got an "Error Starting Program": "A required .DLL file, MSFVBVM60.DLL, was not found." Where can I find this file?

Re: Runtime Error after updating Windows 98

Is the computer actually dialing up a connection or attempting to ??? Or is the internet connection dialog box just coming up and refusing to go away ?? It could be spyware or a Trojan virus or "bot" trying to call it's "master". If you have AdAware 6 &/or Spybot S&D, update and run them and let them remove what they find (they actually just "Quarentine" so if something important is removed you can restore it). Next run a virus scan. If all this doesn't turn up something I'll be surprised, but not out of possiblities !! <img src=/S/nope.gif border=0 alt=nope width=15 height=15> <img src=/S/smile.gif border=0 alt=smile width=15 height=15>

Re: Runtime Error after updating Windows 98

The file is probably msvbvm60.dll, without the "F" & you probably have it. Why don't you try Doc's suggestions first & then see what happens. The Startup List is useful for someone else to see what you have running at startup, but I haven't used it on my machine because I know what's running at startup.

However, as I think of it now, there's an easier way. You can go to Start/Run & type in
msinfo32
& then press <enter>. Under MS information, click the plus sign to expand software environment & then click Startup programs. Put the cursor on the top entry on the right side & press Shift+End. Then copy to the clipboard & paste in a text file.
Cheers,

Re: Runtime Error after updating Windows 98

There are Startup programs that come in all flavors. Many of the "first generation" Startup programs are too simplistic to discover where sneaky virus or trojan programs start.

I investigated these fairly intensively about 6 months ago, and Startup List is the one that came out with the greatest number of results. The MSinfo32 list is fairly standard -- meaning that it was NOT designed to look into most clandestine startup places. If you really need to find where something nefarious is starting, I would recommend Startup List -- which is now incorporated into the "Hijack This" program.
_____________________

If the user is missing the Visual Basic Virtual Machine Dynamic Link Library, then Startup List will not run. I would recommend he download the latest version of the Visual Basic RunTime Library.

Re: Runtime Error after updating Windows 98

Thanks again Phil and Doc Watson; however; I still have not been able to solve the problem.

Doc Watson: on starting up, the computer presents an internet connection dialog box that refuses to go away. Neither the close box nor "cancel" nor even the Ctrl-Alt-Del (Close Program) / End Task does the trick.

Since this problem came up, I ran a complete Virus Scan with updated definitions (Norton 2003) and also (following a suggestion on this forum) downloaded, updated and ran Spybot Search and Destroy. Still have the problem!

Phil: my computer wouldn't run msinfo32 (claimed it couldn't find a necessary file). From msconfig, here are the programs listed under "Startup":

Re: Runtime Error after updating Windows 98

<P ID="edit" class=small>(Edited by Phil Rabichow on 30-Sep-03 13:46. to add the last line)</P>Hi Joel:
In the table below, I've given my opinion of what you should do. I've left blank where I don't know. I put a question where I think you should go to one of the sites I've listed & research it. An X means UNcheck it. If you can't open msconfig, you might have to open regedit itself & search for the Run & RunServices branches. Some of these might be in your startup folder under C:WINDOWSStart MenuProgramsStartUp. You can remove them.

Go to these sites to research what's in your startup. here, Also, go to the site here for a very extensive and informative list. The startup tips section of this site is also very helpful and informative for troubleshooting and information:here.

Finally, here is the table:<table border=1>

<td valign=top>Netzip Smartdownloader</td><td valign=top>x</td>

<td valign=top>AOL Instant Messenger</td><td valign=top>XXX This is probably the cause</td>